Forest officials take a rowdy monkey into captivity near Kendrapara town. Telegraph picture

Paradip, July 5: The coastal districts of Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara are currently hit by monkey menace. Attacks by monkeys at regular intervals have made life miserable for people residing in many areas of these districts.

This is also beginning to emerge as a major headache for administrative authorities. “The administration has received complaints of monkey menace from a number of places. As the state forest department has the expertise to contain such animal nuisance, we are seeking their assistance to drive the animals away from places of human habitats,” said Upendranath Mallick, additional district magistrate, Jagatsinghpur.

The collector of neighbouring Kendrapara district has appealed to forest officials to put an end to the simian menace.

“Reports reaching here from some parts, including Kendrapara township, indicate that monkeys are on rampage, damaging vegetable cultivation. Some schools have also been hit by monkeys as the tree covers within the institution are ideal habitats for them. These animals trespass into classroom and trigger panic among the children,” said Pradipta Kishore Pattnaik, collector, Kendrapara.

According to reports from these districts, in many areas, fear of attacks by monkeys has already prompted parents to stop sending their children to schools. According to reports, more than 50 people, including some children, had suffered injuries in monkey attacks in the last two months.

The monkey attacks are not confined to the rural areas alone. Hundreds of monkeys have turned the urban centres in the coastal districts such as Paradip, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Pattamundai urban local bodies as their permanent homes.

Their intimidating presence is felt everywhere. These animals snatch away fruits, vegetables and tiffin boxes regularly.

“Hordes of monkeys literally invade our residential colonies everyday. During my morning stroll, I carry a stick to save myself from possible monkey attacks,” said Kendrapara collector Pattnaik.

Sulochana Behera, a homemaker from Kendrapara town, said: “They sneak into our houses and take away cooked food and other eatables, including fresh vegetables. Children are feeling unsafe because of these trespassers”.

Sanatan Behera, a vegetable grower from Tirtol in Jagatsinghpur, said: “We are taking the monkey nuisance in our stride. The administration is doing precious little to regulate this menace. We are conducting a 12-hour watch in the fields, right from dawn to dusk, to keep the monkeys at bay. Still they manage to get into our vegetable fields and damage them.”